Studio Policy

General Information: Weekly private lessons are offered in 30 or 60-minute sessions, depending on the student’s age/level.

At The Studio: Students should arrive for lessons in a timely manner, with all required materials and music. Parents and siblings may quietly peruse the waiting area in the living room, wait in their vehicle in the driveway, or run errands so long as they return to pick up their student. I welcome discussion of student progress, parents are welcome to talk with the teacher during the first five minutes of the student’s lesson.

Practice and Instrument: Private students are encouraged to practice a minimum of 60 minutes a day at least 6 days a week. Young students should practice between 30 and 45 minutes a day. For advanced students, the recommended daily practice time should be no less than 2 hours a day. Practicing should be done on a well-maintained acoustic piano or a full electronic weighted keyboard.Acoustic pianos should be tuned twice a year.

Materials: Students are recommended to use a canvas tote bag or similar to carry books to and from lessons. The student will be asked to bring a spiral notebook to each lesson, which will be used keep track of assigned pieces and practice suggestions/goals for each week. The teacher will obtain all needed books and materials for the student.The parent can either reimburse for the cost of the required books and materials or may purchase it themselves. A receipt will be provided for each book/material purchased.

Tuition Plans: There are two types of tuition plans to choose. Students may pay on a monthly or per lesson basis.

Monthly Tuition: Payments are due on the 1st lesson of each month. Checks should be made out to “Merlyn Ahern” or “Merlyn’s Music Studios”.Payments may also be made through any major credit card which is processed through Paypal.

Attendance: A student who does not attend a lesson will simply miss the benefit of that lesson. Your tuition reserves you a weekly time slot and benefits within the studio. Due to the teacher’s limited availability, makeup lessons cannot be guaranteed. However, if an absence arises due to unforeseen situations such as an accident or family emergency and if the student indicates a desire for a makeup lesson, the teacher will make an effort to accommodate a makeup. Please be courteous to the teacher and fellow students by notifying the teacher at least 24 hours in advance regarding any known upcoming absences. .

Discontinuing Lessons: Every student stops taking lesson at some point. Ideally, this decision is made thoughtfully with plenty of discussion between the teacher, parent, and student so that lessons can cease with a positive sense of closure. For this reason, the teacher asks for one month’s notice in writing prior to discontinuing lessons. However, the teacher respects the student’s right to end lessons at any time.Note: At the discretion of the teacher, students may be asked to discontinue lessons at any time if they have unpaid tuition, an excess amount of absences/unprepared lessons, or if they show a lack of interest.

Parent Participation: Parents are encouraged to be supportive and active participants in practice at home. Parents are also encouraged to attend and observe lessons when they choose.

Communication: The best way to contact the teacher is via email music4u2@comcast.net or text 253-347-8107, which will be returned with an email reply, text or phone call. Please note that phone calls are also welcome but due to my busy schedule I let the voicemail take calls during lessons. I always welcome emails or text messages from students during the week if they have questions regarding their repertoire or other matters.